Tuesday's article about a new, low-cost dry cleaner, CD One Price Cleaners, mentions that the Hopkins cleaner uses hydrocarbon-based cleaning solvents, not perchloroethylene (perc). Consumer's Checkbook, a non-profit consumer advocacy organization based in Washington D.C., said that hydrocarbon-based cleaners are still not considered "green."

Checkbook said that studies show hydrocarbon cleans as well as perc does, but its VOCs can contribute to smog and produce hazardous waste that needs to be carefully controlled and captured.

Instead, it recommends considering the following methods for greener cleaning: liquid carbon dioxide has little environmental impact—the carbon dioxide itself is recycled from other industrial uses. But few shops have adopted this method.

"A silicone-based solvent marketed under the name "GreenEarth" is a modified liquid silicone—a clear and odorless liquid— but there have been recent health concerns over the use of the silicone-based solution. Preliminary research studies found that exposure to high levels of D5—the solvent used in GreenEarth's process—caused cancer and may have caused liver damage in laboratory rats. Industry groups have insisted that their own research shows these results are specific to rats, and that other tests show that D5 is safe to humans," Checkbook said.

"Wet-cleaning, a non-toxic, water-based cleaning method uses a high-tech washing machine that works in conjunction with stretching devices that help retain garments' sizes and shapes. Results of tests comparing the effectiveness of wet cleaning to the perc-based method have been mixed. In tests conducted by the EPA, participants rated wet-cleaned clothes as high as, or higher than, dry-cleaned clothes. But Consumer Reports' tests found that the wet-cleaning method shrank several sample dry-clean-only garments, and Consumer Reports suggests that only clothes labeled as "hand-wash only" be wet-cleaned," according to Checkbook.

To find a list of Twin Cities area dry cleaners that offer liquid carbon dioxide, silicone or wet cleaning, I went to Nodryclean.com. Here are the local greener cleaners listed, although it appears that no TC area cleaners are offering liquid CO2 yet. If there are other green cleaners not listed here, let me know (jewoldt@startribune.com).

1) Uptown Cleaners
1614 Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55408
ph:612-822-6855

Offers Silicone Cleaning

2) Colonial Cleaners
3501 Lyndale Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
ph: 612-823-8095

Offers Wet Cleaning

3) Colonial Cleaners
3701 Lyndale Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55409
ph:612-823-8095

Offers Silicone Cleaning

4) Mulberrys Garment Care
3900 Lake St.
St Louis Park, MN 55416
ph:(612) 886-2348

http://www.mulberryscleaners.com/index.html
Offers CO2 Cleaning

5) Prestige Cleaning Center
3711 44th St
Minneapolis, MN 55410
ph:612-929-2010

Offers Silicone Cleaning

6) Mulberrys Garment Care
615 West 53rd Street
Minneapolis, MN 55419
ph:612-824-7787

http://www.mulberryscleaners.com/
Offers CO2 Cleaning

7) Mulberrys Cleaners
5127 Gus Young Lane
Edina, MN 55436
ph:(952) 929-4608

http://www.mulberryscleaners.com/
Offers CO2 Cleaning

8) Mulberrys Cleaners
1299 Promenade Place
Eagan, MN 55121
ph:(651) 452-1818

http://www.mulberryscleaners.com/
Offers CO2 Cleaning

9) Dry Cleaning Station
266 Travelers Trl
Burnsville, MN 55337
ph:952-707-6954

Offers Silicone Cleaning

10) Clean 'N' Press
2799 Geneva Ave
Oakdale, MN 55128
ph: 651-738-6572

Offers Wet Cleaning

11) Martinizing Dry Cleaning
2330 Cloud Dr
Blaine, MN 55449
ph:763-767-3353 (locations in Plymouth and Shorewood also use Silicone cleaning.

Offers Silicone Cleaning

12) Dry Cleaning Station
1152 Vierling Dr
Shakopee, MN 55379
ph:952-445-3303

Offers Silicone Cleaning

13) Dry Cleaning Station
7688 160th St
Lakeville, MN 55068
ph:952-891-4244

Offers Silicone Cleaning

14) Waconia Cleaners and Laundry
209 1st St
Waconia, MN 55387
ph: 612-442-2105

Offers Wet Cleaning

Source: NoDryClean.com

BTW, CD One Price Cleaners is located at 415 17th Ave. N. in Hopkins (952-657-5860)